Friday, 18. September 2009
The Minnesota Twins’ diminishing playoff aspirations took another hit Tuesday when it was announced that All-Star 1B Justin Morneau will be sidelined the remainder of the year.
Morneau has been fighting back pain for weeks, but a CT scan along with an MRI on Monday revealed that he has a crack in his lower back.
The condition doesn’t figure to need surgery. Physicians have informed Morneau to relax the back for the next 3 month|fall season.
Morneau wounded himself on a headfirst slide into 1st base on Friday and hasn’t yet played ever since.
Before last week’s accident, the slugging 1st baseman had previously been playing through pain off and on for a good deal of time. Accordingly, his numbers have declined mightily; Morneau was hitting just .077 in the current month to lower his 2009 batting average to .274. Before this slump, he had been batting above the .300 figure. Having gotten only 9 hits over a duration of 22 games, it was clear that something was wrong.
“You can play with the discomfort if you feel as if you are helping the team or doing things to help your teammates out and victory contests,” Morneau insisted. “When you go out there and you don’t feel as if you are helping everyone, that is when you have to take a step back and say, ‘Okay, perhaps I’m doing more harm than good.’ ”
Despite his struggles of late, Morneau finishes the 2009 season with 30 homers and one hundred RBIs. The home run total is higher than his ‘08 total of 23.
Michael Cuddyer figures to turn out to be the primary 1st baseman in Morneau’s lack.
Despite the injury, Morneau remains positive regarding the Twins’ chances the rest of the season.
“Hopefully I’ll watch the guys go on a run here and act as cheerleader and that is about it,” Morneau said.
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Posted in News by Carl Pidgess -
Friday, 11. September 2009
Dustin Nippert his basis for maintaining the number five role in the Texas Rangers’ starting pitching rotation in Texas’ 5.0-2 victory over Toronto in the first game of Tuesday’s doubleheader. Next to pitch, Brandon McCarthy, making his 1st because leaving the pitching rotation in the beginning of June for the DL.
Nippert had much superior finesse than in his latest outing last week at Yankee Stadium. In the Bronx, he allowed eleven base runners (four hits, seven walks) and was only responsible for eleven outs. On Tuesday afternoon, he got out of trouble to get his 5th win of the year and third as a member of the starting rotation. Nippert gave up 5 hits, walked merely one. He lessened his earned run average as a starter to 4.43 and on the whole to 3.91. It was Nippert’s third successful start in his prior five games.
Nippert claimed there honestly was not much disparity concerning how he threw last week and on Tuesday: “Simply able to pitch strikes. In Yankee Stadium, I think I pitched one slider successfully. The larger mess I put myself in, I tried relentlessly to get beyond it. I was truly going the wrong way. I continued walking guys, trying to pitch that ideal pitch.
“Yesterday, I was able to throw it ahead in the count, late in the count. Keep the hitters off my fastball.”
Said manager Ron Washington: “I do not suppose he was throwing too hard. He was balancing with his change-up and his moving pitches. Elevated his fastball.”
Washington and Nippert both acknowledged Nippert wasn’t playing to maintain his role in the pitching rotation. Furthermore Nippert insisted he will gladly start or come out of the bullpen. Since the Texas Rangers are in post-season pursuit, each roster member’s function augments in importance.
“I simply would like to contribute to this team,” he said. “It’s great for us that we possess more arms now. Whomever’s hot you may choose to start.
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Posted in News by James Marquise -
Monday, 31. August 2009
Tim Wakefield is back in Boston, Billy Wagner is in, and Brad Penny and John Smoltz are out. Quite the shakeup for the Sox this past week. Brad Penny was recently released by the Red Sox and placed on waivers.
According to John Tomase of the Boston Herald, Brad Penny asked the Red Sox for a release. He felt that his services were no longer of value for the team, and while he had nothing against them, he felt he’d be best pitching somewhere else.
Next week, Penny will be eligible for waivers, and some team will probably take its chances on him. At just 31 years old, he still has the potential to pitch effective baseball, and the change of setting could be good for Penny, who wants to play for a contender.
Like John Smoltz before him, he should run back to the National League where it’s entirely possible he could throw a no-hitter in his first start given the offensive disparity between the leagues. Converting to a closer this off-season might not be a bad idea either.
Penny made $5 million in Boston during the 2009 season. There was potential for him to reach the $8 million mark, but he obviously didn’t perform to expectations.
Penny looked good through the beginning of the season. While his ERA was always somewhat high, he started out with a 6-2 win-loss record that continuously worsened as the season progressed. Many had thought the Sox would ship Penny off once Smoltz returned, but this never happened.
In his last eleven starts since he was 6-2, Penny has only won one game. He had a great month of June, July was a bit worse, and August was even worse, with an 8.31 ERA during the month. His last time on the mound, Penny let up 8 runs in just four innings against the Yankees.
The Braves are now without two of their original starting pitchers, or three if you count the injured Dice-K. The lesson learned: stock up on starting pitchers, you’ll always somehow need them.
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Posted in News by Max Petari -